Depressed women with panic attacks.

Of a group of 288 depressed female inpatients, 43 (15%) had secondary panic attacks. Compared to other depressives, the subgroup with panic attacks had significantly higher frequencies of anorexia, weight loss, gastrointestinal disturbances, hypochondriasis, and psychomotor agitation, and significantly lower frequencies of melancholic symptoms, including loss of interest in usual activities, guilt feelings, delusional thinking, psychomotor retardation, and orientation or memory impairment. Patients with panic attacks were less likely to have a depressed parent and were more likely to be described as having been nervous, worrisome, sensitive, and sexually dysfunctional before the onset of depression. Phenomenologically, they resembled "anxious depressives" as described by other authors.